Sleigh.



PATENTED JUNE 27, 1905' C. R. KNAPP.

SLEIGH.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 10,1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 {mlmullilil witmzmwa s W M fi/ZW No; 793,529. PATENTED JUNE 27, 1905. 0., R. KNAPP. SLEIGH.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 10,1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

um-mom I 2 KW Patented June 27, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES R. KNAPP, OF WINONA, MINNESOTA.

SLEIGH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 793,529, dated June 27, 1905.

Application filed February 10, 1905. Serial No. 245,105.

To (LZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, (JI-IARLEs R. KNAPP, a citizen of the United States, residing at WVinona, Winona county, Minnesota,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sleighs; and I do herebydeclare the following to bc a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to certain improvements in sleighs, and relates more particularly to improvements in what are known as t a I specder-sleighs, particularly intended for fast driving.

An object of the invention is to produce a light yet exceedingly strong and durable sleigh running-gear of an improved construction having a comparatively wide runner-base andconstructed and arranged at the front portion to withstand great strain and yet alford ample room for the movement of the horse when moving at a rapid gait.

A further object of the invention is to provide certain improvements in details of construction and arrangements and combinations of parts whereby a highly-efficient and improved sleigh will be produced.

The invention consists in certain novel features in construction and in arrangements and combinations of parts, as more fully and partiularly described hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a sleigh embodying my invention. Fig. 2is a front end view thereof. Fig. 3 is a sectional side elevation. Fig. 4; is a detail perspective of a portion of the running-gear framework detached. Fig. 5 shows one of the trussed supporting-knees in elevation, parts connected thereto being shown in section, the body not being shown. tion taken longitudinally through a portion of one of the trussed knees.

Inthedrawings, 2 is .the body of the sleigh, and 2 represents the body-sills. This body is of any suitable or ordinary construction, and the front portion of the floor thereof preferably curves or inclines upwardly to the dash about as shown.

Fig. 6 is a detail vertical sec- 3 represents the runners, which are preferably widely separated with respect to the width of the body to provide a wide runner-base. At the front the runners curve upwardly and forwardly, and their upper portions curve rearwardly and are widely separated with respect to the body. The runners are provided with rigid rearward extensions 3', extending rearwardly to or beyond the center of the length of the body, and these extensions are comparatively widely spaced from the sides of the body.

4 is a strong horizontal cross-bar at the under side of the upwardly-curving front portion of the floor of the body and arranged just in rear of the dash and rigidly bolted or otherwise secured to the body-sills 2. This crossbar is secured to and extends the full width of the body, and its ends project horizontally a considerable distance beyond the sides of the body.

5 represents strong rigid usually wood bars, knees, or braces almost straight and at their lower ends rigidly secured to the lower front portions of the runners about at the lower portions of the upwardly-curved fronts of the runners, preferably so that the lower ends of said knees 5 are in advance of the body. These knees extend upwardly and rearwardly from and at an angle to the runners to the outwardly-projected ends of the front elevated cross-bar 4:. The upper ends of these knees 5 are strongly and rigidly secured to the projecting ends of said cross-bar, preferably having tenons rigidly secured therein. The upper ends of said knees are secured to the'cro'ssbar ends some distance from the body sides, but preferably so that said cross-bar ends project outwardly beyond the knee ends.

6 represents curved wooden braces secured to the central portion of the cross-bar 4 and from thence curving outwardly and downward] y and secured to intermediate portions of the knees 5.

6' is a strong metal bar or strip extending from runner to runner along and secured to the inner faces of the knees 5 and braces 6. Also, if desired, braces 7 and 8 can be clipped to the immediate portions of said knees and extend downwardly and forwardly to the curved portions of the runners and downwardly and rearwardly to the horizontal portions of the runners, respectively.

9 is the middle or intermediate cross-bar projected beyond the same.

Approximately similar benches or knees of peculiar and advantageous construction are secured to the two cross-bars 9 and 10 and to the runners, and each bench or knee comprises an approximately straight horizontal top portion 11 and the two downwardly and outwardly curved or diverging vertically-disposed knees or end portions 12, and the top portion 11 and the knee portions 1-2 are preferably composed of a suitably-bent integral length or stick of wood. The bar forming a bench and knees is provided with a suitablybent wooden bar formingthe truss 13, approximately parallel with the horizontal bench portion 11 and curving downwardly and outwardly at the ends of said portion 11 and gradually merging into the knee portions 12 at an acute angle and spliced and cemented thereto and braced by heavy irons. The truss 13 is held properly spaced-from the portions 11 and 12 and is rigidly secured thereto to strengthen and stiffen the same by a plurality of cross stay-bolts 14 about as shown. The ends of the truss-bar 13 are rigidly secured to the lower vertical knee portions 12, which are strongly and rigidly secured to the runners, and the horizontal or bench portion 11 is rigidly secured to the body-sills and to one of the cross-bars 9 10 by certain of the stay and spacing bolts 14. The straight horizontal portion 11 of each bench is preferably at least as long as the width of the body, so that said horizontal portion 11 throughout its length rests against and parallel with a cross-bar 9 or 10 the full width of the body. For instance, in the specific example illustrated the five central or topmost stay-bolts 14 of each bench or knee secure the same to its cross-bar 9 or 10, and certain of said bolts also are secured to the body-sills 2. planes of the sides of the body the bench begins to drop from the cross-bar and curve downwardly and outwardly to form the diverging knee or end portions.

The cross-bars 9 and 10 are usually about parallel and horizontal and are arranged beneath the body-seat at the points where the load or greatest weight must be supported, and hence great advantages are attained by arranging the benches with the horizontal top Beyond or about at the vertical portions throughout their lengths resting against and secured to the cross-bars practically the full width of the bodyand in providing the peculiar truss arrangement integral with the bench and knees, so that the solid ends are formed and the wide runnerbase running-gear can be employed without loss of strength or lightness.

I can employ inclined metal braces 15, at their front upper ends secured to the project ing ends of the front and middle cross-bar and at their rear endsclipped to intermediate portions of the knees 12, and inclined metal braces 16, at their front upper ends clipped at the same points as braces 15 to said knees and from thence extending downwardly and rearwardly and secured to the runners.

17 represents the top side bars or raves, usually parallel with each other and spaced from the body sides. These side bars cross and are rigidly secured to the projecting ends of the cross-bars 4, 9, and 10 and curve-or are deflected upwardly from the cross-bar 9 to the rear cross-bar and also to the elevated front cross-bar 4, to which they are secured, preferably, between the body sides and the upper ends of the about straight front knees 5. The rearward extensions 3 of the runners curve downwardly and rearwardly and are arranged outside of the bars 17 and are spaced therefrom and rigidly secured to the outer ends of the cross-bars 4 and 9, so that the upper ends of front knees 5 are arranged be tween said extensions 3 and bars 17.

The shaft-coupling hangers or irons 18 can be secured to the extensions 3 between the cross-bars 4 9 or to the projected ends of the bar 4 or otherwise, so that the horse can be hitched close to the sleigh-body.

IOO

- In my sleigh the horse can be hitched close out sacrificing lightness.

ITO

I attain peculiar advantages in a speedersleigh by combining the weight-supporting trussed benches with the inclined open front bracing and stiffening structure, comprising cross-bar 4 and knees 5.

WVhat I claim is 1. A sleigh comprising a body, cross-bars secured to and projected beyond the body sides, runners curved up at the front and having rigid rearward extensions crossing and rigidly secured to certain of said projected cross-bar ends, side bars spaced from said extensions and crossing and rigidly secured to the projected ends of the cross-bars, forward lyinclined knees secured to the runner and to the projected ends of the front cross-bar, and

vertical weight-supporting benches or knees secured to the runners and to the intermediate portions of the remaining cross-bars.

2. In combination, inasleigh, a body, crossbars secured thereto and projected beyond the sides thereof and comprising the elevated front cross-bar 4, runners curving upwardly at the front and having rearward extensions spaced from the body sides and crossing and rigidly secured to the projected ends of said front cross-bar and a cross-bar in rear thereof and curving downwardly from said front cross-bar to said rearward cross-bar, side bars spaced from the body sides and from said extensions and crossing and rigidly secured to the projected ends of all the cross-bars, and curving downwardly from the front cross-bar to a rearward cross-bar, and body-supporting and runner-bracing knees.

3. In combination, in a sleigh, a body, a front cross-bar beneath the front portion of the body and havingits ends projected beyond the sides thereof, runners curved upwardly at the front and rigidly secured to said projected ends, forward]y-inclined bars or knees at their lower ends secured to the front portions of the runners and at their upper ends directly and rigidly secured in said projected cross-bar ends, and weight-supporting benches or knees between the body and runners.

4. In combination, in a sleigh, a body, an elevated cross-bar secured transversely across the front portion of the body and having projected ends, cross-bars secured beneath the seat portion of the body and, having projected ends, runners curving upwardly at the front, forwardly-i'nclined widely-separated bars or knees secured to said projected ends of the front cross-bar and at their lower ends secured to the front portions of the runners, weightsupporting trussed benches or knees secured to the runners and having horizontal top portions longitudinally secured to said cross-bars beneath the seat portion of the body and forming a wide supporting-base for said body, and side bars secured to said projected cross-bar ends.

In a sleigh, in combination, a body having horizontal cross-bars rigidly secured thereto beneath the seat portion thereof, widelyseparated runners, and trussed weight-supportln g benches or knees secured to sald crossbars and runners, each comprising an ap-- proximately straight or horizontal top or bench portion in length approximately equal to the width of the body and throughout its length secured to the portion of a cross-bar beneath the body, the end portions of said bench portion beyond the sides dropping down to form the diverging knees with solid ends and the truss having the horizontal top portion and diverging ends merging into said knees, substantially as described.

6. In a sleigh, in combination; a series of approximately parallel spaced eross-bars, longitudinal body-sills secured thereon, longitudinal side bars secured thereon outside of the sills, runners provided with top rearward extensions secured to the front cross-bar of said series, weight-supporting benches secured to the runners and cross-bars in rear of said front cross-bar and also secured to the body-sills, and inclined front knees at their lower ends secured to the front portions of the runners and extending upwardly and rearwardly and at their upper ends secured to said front crossbar between said extensions and said side bars, substantially as described.

7. In combination, a sleigh, a body, a crossbar securedto the body beneath the front portion thereof, runners having their upper front ends rigidly secured to the end portions of said cross-bar, a weight-supporting bench or knee between the rear portion of the body and the runners, upwardly and rearwardly inclined knees secured to the front portions of the runners and at their upper ends directly secured to the end portions of said front cross-bar, braces rigidly secured to the central portion of said front cross-bar and extending outwardly and downwardly and rigidly secured to intermediate portions of said inclined knees, and a metal bar extending approximately from runner to runner longitudinally of and secured to said knees and braces, substantially as described.

8. In combination, in a sleigh, cross-bars, longitudinal body-sills secured thereon, runners, and knees between the cross-bars and runners comprising a trussed weight-supporting bench or knee having an approximately straight horizontal top bench portion in length equal to the distance between said body-sills and arranged longitudinally under a cross-bar and having the depending end knees secured to the runners, the truss having the horizontal straight top portion and the depending ends merging into and rigidly secured to said depending knees, and theseries of vertical stay-bolts rigidly securing together the truss, bench portion, cross-bar and body-sills, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof Iaflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES R. KNAPP.

Witnesses:

G. E. ltismenn, M. E. SCHLADINSKA. 

